Objective To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)on the expression of adenosine receptor(AR)in the white adipose tissue(WAT)of diet-induced obese(DIO)mice

so as to reveal a peripheral mechanism of EA underlying improvement of body weight.Methods Forty three-week-old C 57BL/6male mice were divided into normal diet group(n=12)and high fat diet group(n=28)randomly

and fed by normal diet and high fat diet for 12 weeks

respectively.In the high fat diet group

mice with body weight over 20% heavier than that of the normal diet group were considered as obese mice.The normal diet mice and the obese mice were divided into normal group(CD

n=5)and normal plus EA group(CD+EA

n=7)

or obese group(HFD

n=6)and obese plus EA group(HFD+EA

n=12).The CD+EA group and the HFD+EA group were treated with EA at"Zusanli"(ST 36)and"Neiting"(ST 44

2Hz/15 Hz

0.6-1.0mA)for 20 min

6times a week for 4weeks.Body weight

ratio of WAT/body weight were calculated

qPCR and Western blot were applied to detect mRNA and protein levels of adenosine receptors in the epididymal adipose tissue(Epi-WAT)

respectively.Results Compared with the normal diet group

high fat diet significantly increased body weight in C 57BL/6mice after feeding for 12weeks(P<0.01);18out of 28 mice in the high fat diet group were classified as obesity.After treatment

the body weight and the ratio of Epi-WAT/body weight of the HFD group were increased than those in the CD group(P<0.05)

the change of body weight in the HFD group was bigger than that in the CD group(P<0.01).Compared with the HFD group

the body weight and the ratio of Epi-WAT/body weight of the HFD+EA group were decreased after EA(P<0.05)

the change of body weight was also significantly increased(P<0.01).No significant differences were found among the four groups in the expression level of A1 R mRNA(P>0.05).The expression of A3 R mRNA in the HFD group was lower than that in the CD group(P<0.01)

while the expressions of A_(2A)R and A_(2B)R proteins were decreased in the HFD group than in the CD group(P<0.01).In comparison with the HFD group

the expression levels of A_(2A)R and A_(2B)R mRNAs and proteins were significantly up-regulated in the HFD+EA group

respectively(P<0.05

P<0.01).ConclusionEA intervention is able to reduce the body weight of DIO mice

which may be associated with its effects in regulating the expression of A_(2A)R and A_(2B)R in WAT

suggesting a new mechanism of EA in accelerating peripheral WAT metabolism.